Remote controlling apparatus



April 26, 1932- E. OHAGAN 1,855,310

REMOTE CONTROLLING APPARATUS Filed Oct. 24, 1931 11v mqok.

Z, Be zzardivfiayarz By dim H18 ATTORNEY;

Patented Apr. 26, 1932 iUNIT-ED STATES PATENT iO'iFEIC'E BERNARD" EUOI-IAGAN, F SWISSVALE, TPENNSYLVANIA,,\ASSIGNQR TO THE UNION SWITCH & SIGNAL COMPANY, OF SWISSVALE; PENNSYLVANIA, :ACORPORATION 0F PENNSYLVANIA V 7 REMOTE CONTROLLING APPARATUS "Application filed October 24, 1931. Seria1N0.".57O;799.

My invention relates toremotecontrolling 1 apparatus, and particularly to apparatus of the type involving a controlling device and a-controlled device atone point, asiwellras a controlling device: and a controlled device at a second point. One feature of my.'1nvent1on is the provision of novel and: improved means for: governing each controlled device by the controlling device at the other point through i the medium of a single linecircuit and a single source of current. V

.Apparatus embodying my ll'lVBIltlOHlS particularly well adapted for usein connection rwith the control and indication of railway switches andsignals, although it is not limited to these particular uses.

I will describe two forms of apparatusembodying my invention, and willithen' point eoutlthe; novel features thereof in claims.

,In theaccompanying drawings, Fig 1 is a diagrammatic view showing one form of apparatus for the control and indication, of a railway switch and embodying myinvention. Fig. 2 is adiagrammatic view showing one form of apparatus for the control and inclication of, a railway signal and also embodying; my invention. 7

: Similar reference. characters referto similar. parts in eachiof the views.

Referring first to Fig. 1, the referencecharacter S V designates. a railway switch which is moved to normal and reverse positions by suitable operating rmechanism ilncludlng a :motor M. This "motor comprises theusual armature 1 and held winding2. The switch S also operates alcircuit controller C, comprising a contact.lO-1l which isclosed in all positions of the switch except thereverse :position, and a contact l0'l2 which isclosed in all positions of the switch exceptthe normal position. ..The switch also operates a pole- ;changer P having normalv and reverseextreme positions, corresponding to thenormal and-reverse positlons of thBSWltCh; whllerthe switch is unlocked or is in transit, the usual short-circuiting contacts 36, 36, are closed by the movable arms '15 J and. 161 of." the polechanger.

The switch motor M is controlled by athree- :position alternating current relay A. having well as two contacts- 6 and: 9. The stator winding 5 is constantly-supplied with alternating current from a pair of line wires Band X, which wires are supplied'with alternating current from asuitable-sourcewhich is not shownin the drawings. Statorwinding 4: of relay A is controlled in the mannerchereinafter explained .As shown in the drawings, relay A is energizedin the normal, di-;ifi0 rection, but the switch motor M is deenergized dueito the fact-that contact 10.12' is open. When relay A becomes energizedin thereverse direction, motor M will be supplied with current by virtue of a LC'lICIlltWhiCh .passesr' fifi from wire B, throughrelay contact 9 +.9,- motor armature 1,1-re lay Contact 66 ,=con tact 1110, andrmotorfieldQ, tohwirewX. The moto-r'willthen. rotate in' such direction as to reverse the-switch and when the switch' reaches its reverse position and becomes locked, the.circuit-justtraced will be opened at contact 1011. "Nhen relay A againyibecomes energized inthenormal direction, motor M will be energized by a circuit-which passesjfrom wire,,B,-:.through contact 6 ;6, 'niotori;;arinaturel 1, a contact 9-9 contact i l2 10,.and'motor; field 2 to, wire X. The motor will then rotate in such .directionasto move the SWltClLStO its normal position, andt when the switchreaches thisposition. and

plied 'withalternating current of normal or reverse relative polarity from the :wires- B and X througlr a pole-changer P This poleechanger is operated-by a manuallyrop- I erable lever L, which will usually be one of a number of similar levers in an interlocking machine. WVhen pole-changer P -is inrits normalposition, the relative polarity of the current supplied to relay;winding 4:;willbe such that relay;'A willvbeenergized inthe normal 1 direction awheras, when the polechanger isreverse'd, the relative polarity, of the current supplied to itherelay winding 4 will be reversed, with theresult that the relaywill become energized in the reverse direction.

The primary of a transformer 17 is connected with the line wires 7 and 8 at a point adjacent the switch S, and the secondary of this transformer is connected with the input terminals of a full-wave rectifier 18. The

output terminals of the rectifier 18 are con-v nected across the line wires 7 and 8 through the medium of the pole-changer P That is to say, when switch S is in the normal position, direct current of what I will term normal polarity is supplied'to the line wires from rectifier 18, whereas when the switch is in the reverse position, direct current of reverse polarity is supplied to the line wires from this rectifier. While the switch is unlocked, or is in transit, the line wires are placed on short circuit through the intermediate contacts 36-andthe conductor 37 associated with pole-changer P Located adjacent the lever L is an indication relay R, the operating winding of which is connected across the line wires 7 and 8. This relay responds to reversals of polarity of direct current, and, consequently, it follows that the relay will be energized in normal or reverse direction according as direct current of normal or reverse polarity is supplied to the line wires 7 and 8 from'the rectifier 18, that is, according as the switch S is in the normal or the reverse position.

A reactor 22 is interposed between the polechanger P and line wire 7, to prevent shortcircuiting the alternating current supply dur ing one instantaneous polarity of such current, and also to prevent the short-circuiting contacts of pole-changer P from shunting the line wires 7 and 8, in so far as the alternating current is concerned, while these contacts are closed. A condenser 19 is included in the line wire 7 between the pole-changer P and the relay-R to keep direct current out of the wires B and X. A condenser 21 is placed in line-wire 7 between the transformer 17 and the point at which the direct indication current is supplied to wire 7, in order to keep direct current out of this transformer. Similarly, a condenser 20 is connected in series with stator winding 4.- of relay A to keep direct current out of this winding.

Referring now to Fig. 2, the reference characters G and R designate the proceed and stop lamps, respectively, of a railway light signal. These lamps are controlled by a contact 28 of a relay A in such manner that lamp G will be supplied with current from wires B and X when the relay is energized, and that lamp R will be supplied with current from these wires when the relay is deenergized; Relay A is also provided with two other contacts 29 and 30, which constitute a pole-changer. When relay A is energized, current of normal relative polarity will be supplied from wires B and X to the primary of a transformer 31 through the pole-changing contacts 29 and 30. When the relay A is deenergized, current of reverse relative polarity will be supplied to the primary of transformer 31.

The winding of relay A is connected with line wires 7 and 8, and also connected with these line wires at a remote point, is a stator winding 25 of an indication relay R This indication relay also comprises a stator winding 26 constantly supplied with current from the wires B andvX, and a rotor 24L which is responsive to the relative polarity of the alternating currents supplied to these two stator windings. This relay is so arranged that when the stator winding 25 receives current of normal relative polarity contact 27 will be open, whereas when winding 25 receives alternating current of reverse relative polarity contact 27 will be closed.

Also connected with the line wires 7 and 8 adjacent the relay R is the primary of a transformer 17, the secondary of which is connected with the input terminals of a fullwave rectifier 18. The right-hand output terminal of this rectifier is connected with wire 8, whereas the left-hand output terminal is connected with the wire 7 through a reactor 22 and a contact 23 associated with a manually operable lever L. It follows that direct current will be supplied to the line wires 7 and 8 when contact 23 is closed but not when this contact is open.

As shown in the drawings, contact 23 is closed, so that direct current is supplied to the wires 7 and 8, with the result that relay A which responds to direct current, is energized. The proceed lamp G is therefore lighted, and alternating current of normal relative polarity is supplied to wires 7 and 8 through pole-changing contacts 29 and 30 and transformer 31. Relay R is, consequently, energized in such direction that its contact 27 is open. When lever L is operated to open contact 23, the supply of direct current to the line wires 7 and 8 will be discontinued so that relay A will become deenergized. This will cause the proceed lamp G to be extinguished and the stop lamp R to become lighted. It will also cause alternating current of reverse relative polarity to be supplied to the line wires 7 and 8 through polechanging contacts 29 and 30 and transformer 31. This current will energize relay R in such direction as to close contact 27. Contact 27 may be used to control any suitable indicating device, so that such device will be energized when the stop lamp R is lighted.

Condensers 32 and 33 are incduled in line wire 7 to prevent direct current from being supplied to the secondary of transformer 31 and the primary of transformer 17. A condenser 34: is interposed between wire 7 and winding 25 to keep direct current out of this winding. Reactor 22 is provided to prevent 4 short circuiting wires 7 and 8 when the alter nating current is of one instantaneous polarity.

It will be seen from the foregoing that in each of the views two devices located at spaced points are controlled, each by a controlling device located at the other point, and that this double control is accomplished by, means of only two line wires and only one source of current.

Although I have herein shown and described only two forms of apparatus embodying my invention, it is understood that various changes and modifications may be made therein within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is: I

1. In combination, a railway switch, a controlling device for said signal responsive to reversals of the relative polarity of alternating current, a circuit for said controlling device including a source of alternating current and a pair of line wires, a pole-changer for reversibly connecting said source with said line wires, an indication device connected with said line wires and responsive to reversals of unidirectional current, a rectifier receiving alternating current from said line wires, and means including a pole-changer operated by said switch for supplying unidirectional current of one polarity or the other to said line wires from said rectifier for the operation of said indication device.

2. In combination, a railway signal, a controlling device for said signal responsive to unidirectional current, a pair of line wires connected with said controlling device, means for supplying alternating current of one polarity or the other to said line wires according as said controlling device is energized or deenergized, a rectifier receiving current from said line wires, means for at times connecting the output terminals of said recti' fier with said line wires, and an indication device also connected with said line wires and responsive to reversals of the relative polarity of the alternating current supplied thereto.

3. In combination, a pair of line wires, means for supplying to said wires at one point alternating current of normal or reverse relative polarity, a device connected with said wires at another point and responsive to the relative polarity of the alternating current supplied thereto, a rectifier receiving current from said line wires at said second point and at times supplying unidirectional current to the line wires, and a direct current device connected with said line wires at said first point and responsive to such unidirectional current.

In testimony whereof I aifix my signature.

BERNARD E. OHAGAN. 

